Flying machine



Nov. 20, 1962 D- R. PRESTON FLYING MACHINE Filed Sept. 15, 1960 INVENTORI DALE R. PRESTON United States Patent Ofltice enemas Patented Nov. 20, 1962.

3,964,925 FLYING MACHINE Dale R. Preston, 920 Magnolia Ave., Gui-nee, Ill. Filed Sept. 15, 1960, Ser. No. 56,146 4 Claims. (Cl. 244-1723) This invention relates to a flying machine, and more particularly it relates to a flying machine which has both means for vertical flight and means for horizontal flight.

It is an object of this invention to provide a flying machine which is an improvement over heretofore known machines which have means for propelling the machine both vertically and horizontally.

Ifiigh-t, the forwardly presented edges of the machine are maintained cool by rotating them around the machine so that they are not constantly presented to the forward direction of motion. In accomplishing this particular object, and in the rotational motion mentioned, another advantage is that the machine encounters less air resistance in its horizontal movement since it passes through the air in the nature of a boring action.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent upon reading the following description in light of the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional View of a somewhat diagrammatic showing of a preferred embodiment of this invention and taken on the line 11 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of a fragment of that shown in FIG. 1 and having certain parts thereof removed for clarity of showing.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of a part shown in FIG. 1 and showing the part in section or broken away on the near side thereof.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged view taken on the line 4-4 of FIG. 2.

The same reference numerals refer to the same parts throughout the several views.

The drawings show a cockpit or pilots platform 14} which is shown to be cylindrical in shape and which can be supported on wheels 11 with the forward ones of the wheels 11 being steerable by means of a rudder pedal 12. The latter could be foot-controlled by the pilot who can occupy a seat designated 13. The main feature of this invention is the provision of two counter rotating rotors or propellers 14 and 16 which encircle the cockpit and which are of course disposed with the rotor 14 directly above the rotor 16 as shown. It should also be noted that a propeller 17 is supported on a shaft 18 extending rearwardly from the cockpit 10 and the propeller 17 is available for inducing additional horizontal flight or motion of the machine and of course for inducing horizontal motion when the machine is remaining on the ground. It will also be readily understood that a jet engine or other commonly employed forward driving means could be substituted for the propeller 17 to induce forward motion of the machine either on the ground or in the air.

An engine 19 is generally shown within the main housing or cockpit 10 and to be on the opposite side of a partition 2 1 from that side where the seat 13 is located. Thus the engine 19 is available for powering both the propeller 17 and the rotors 14 and 16 by means of the drive mechanism explained hereinafter. The engine 19 will of course induce rotation to a driven member such as the driven member 22 which is shown to carry a clutch half 23. The propeller shaft 18 has the mating clutch half 24 thereon so that upon engagement of the halves 23 and 24 the power of the engine 19 can be applied from the driven member 22 to the propeller shaft 18 and thus rotate the propeller 17 as desired. It will also be noted that a second driven member 26 is disposed to be powered by the transmission of the engine in any conventional manner, and a clutch 27 is disposed adjacent the driven member 26 to be movable into and out of engagement therewith such that upon engagement of the clutch the tube 28 is rotated under the power of the engine 19 and in turn the power wheel or drive member 29 is rotated with the tube 2.8 as it is attached thereto. The tube 28 of course extends through the upright and. cylindrical wall 31 of the cockpit 10 and is rotatably mounted therein so that it can rotate the driven member 29 as mentioned.

It will be noted that the member 29 is shown to be spool-shaped and it is therefore circular and has the semicircular cross sectional shape to the circumference thereof to engage the mating semi-circular surfaces 32 of the in ner or driven rings of the rotors 14 and 16. Thus by this means, rotation of the drive member 29 rotates the rotors 14 and 16 in opposite directions so that the rotor 14 is preferably rotated in the direction of the arrow A in FIG. 2. As mentioned, the rotors 14 and 16 have inner or driven rings 33 and 34 respectively and these rings are in contact with the drive member 29 by the ring surfaces 32 as described. It will be understood that the rotors are completely circular or annular as they extend continuously around the cockpit 19. Also rotatably mounted retainer or support members 36 are suitably mounted on the cylindrical wall 31 of the cockpit 10 to retain the rotors 14 and 16 in their horizontally extended positions shown. Also the rotors 14 and 16 are shown to consist of an outer ring or support member 37 and a fixed wing or vane 38 which exists in plurality in spaced relation around each of the rotors 14 and 16 so that, for instance, four such vanes 38 may be provided as indicated in FIG. 2. It will therefore be understood that the rotors 14 and 16 are generally composed of the inner rings 33 or 34 and the outer ring 37 with a fixed and stationarily attached wing or vane 38 extending between the rings. The annular spaces between the fixed vane 38 are occupied by movable vanes 39 which are supported on the rotors 14 and 16 by means of a support and control rod 41 extending through the vane 39 and into the outer rings 37 after having passed through the inner rings 33 and 34- as shown. Thus the vane 39 is movably mounted on the rings or rotors 14 and 16 so that they can be pitched with respect to the rotors 14 and 16 and thereby provide for both the vertical and horizontal flight of the machine.

The mechanism shown for inducing the adjustable pitching of the vanes 39 is that which includes the crank 42 which is the inner end of the rod 4-1. The crank end .3 is engaged with a ring 44- which is vertically movably mounted with respect to the cockpit 14} so that the movement of the ring 4d induces a corresponding up and down movement of the crank end 4-3 to thereby rotate the crank or rod 41 and thus pitch the vanes 39 as desired.

The mechanism shown for inducing adjustable or vertical movement of the rings 44- is a plurality of control columns 46 which are also vertically movably mounted on the cockpit 1t} and are supported thereon by for instance a bracket 47 so that upon vertical movement of the columns 46, rollers 48 attached to the upper ends of the columns 45 engage both the top and bottom surfaces of the upper ring 44 to vertically move the latter as desired. Also similar rollers 48 are attached to the lower ends of the columns 46 to engage the lower control rings at and thereby induce action of the control rod 41 extended through the lower rotor 16 in the same manner as that described with the upper rotor 14. Power means are shown to control the action of the column and in this instance, hydraulic power is shown so that a motor 51 is applied to a hydraulic pump 5?. which has its hydraulic line 5'3 extended to each of the columns 46 and HG. 3 shows that the latter are telescopically arranged so that the lower portions 54 of the columns 46 are telescoped wit'm'n the upper portions 56 and an interior fluid chamber 5'7 is in communication with the hydraulic line 53. Thus, of course upon an increase in pressure in the line 53 and the chamber 57, the column portions 5 and 56 are extended away from each other as the upper portion 56 is raised to thereby raise both the rings since as their respective rollers 43 are all attached to the upper portion 56 which has thus been hydraulically jacked up, and thus pitch the vanes 38 on the two rotors l4 and 716 as desired. A pin or similar stop 58 may be employed between the column parts 54 and 56 to limit the extensible action therebetween as desired.

Another means of controlling the rings 44 is through the control stick 59 which is mounted by means of the conventional ball and socket mounting 61 which can of course be the same as, for instance, the floor type of shift in automobiles. Thus, the lower end of the control stick 5& extends below the ball and socket mounting 61 to engage a control quadrant 62 which has the arms extending therefrom as clearly shown in FlG. 2 to reach to the control columns 46. A control quadrant 62 can be provided with circular shafts 63, as shown in FIG. 4, and these shafts can engage openings 64 is the lower ends of the control columns 46. Thus upon pivotal movement of the control stick 59, identical movement is induced in the quadrant 62 which in turn moves the respective control columns 46 up or down depending upon direction of movement of the control stick 59. It will of course be noted that by this arrangement universal control and movement of the quadrant 62 is possible and thus the rings 44 can be placed in any attitude desired. When the control stick 5? is pivoted forwardly, for instance, the forward column 46 is moved downwardly and the rearward column 56 adjacent the propeller 17 is moved upwardly while the side columns 46 are unaffected by the action since the shafts 63 in these side columns simply rotate within the Opening 64. The rings 44 are thus disposed to a declined, forward position as they are lower at the front end of the machine than they are at the rear end of the machine and this causes the cranks 42 to raise the rotationally leading edges 66 of the movable vanes 39 when the vanes 39 are rotating past the front end of the machine, and it causes the rotationally leading edges 616 of these same vanes 39 to be downward or lowered when they are rotating past the rear side of the machine and such raised or lowered position is of course relative to the fixed vanes 38. By virtue of this opposite action of the vanes 39, complete control of the machine is possible and the machine can therefore be flown horizontally under the power of the rotors 14 and 16. Of course the machine can be also controlled in any attitude with respect to the horizontal by movement of the control stick 59 as described. Thus, under the conditions described, the machine would be inclined to fly backwards, that is toward the propeller 17 when the vanes 3) have the action mentioned.

it will also be noted that scoops 67 are attached to the outer rings 37 so that the latter and the respective rotors 14 and 16 will always rotate when the machine is in forward flight and thus be balanced and cooled by the rotation of the rotors. It may also be mentioned that individual controls of the rotors l4 and 16 with respect at least to pitching of the movable vanes 39 may be desired.

A clutch control is provided for controlling the clutches 23, 2 5, and 27 and such control is shown to be a control arm 68 pivotally mounted at 69 on the engine 19. :ie upper end of the arm 63 is disposed adjacent the clutch members so that it can be moved into engagement with the respective members to control them as desired. In the type shown, of course two clutch controls could be employed with one applied to each of the two clutches shown so that the clutches can be operated independently of each other. A control arm 71 thus extends between a control stick 72 and the arm 68 with the two ends of the link 71 pinned to the respective lever 72 and arm 68 as shown. Of course the lever 72 is also pivoted at '73 so that it can induce the desired displacement of the link 71 and pivotal action of the arm 68. Such mechanism can of course be of a standard transmission and/ or clutch control and therefore need not be further described in order to disclose the invention to one skilled in the art of aircraft, and it will be understood that two clutches are employed to control the power to both the propeller and the rotors.

The upper rotor 14 and the lower rotor 16 can also be independently pitched in their respective vanes by connecting another hydraulic line 75 to each of the four columns 46. Then the columns 46 can be telescoped at the point below the connection of the hydraulic line 75, as shown in PEG. 1, and the hydraulic connection and the telescoped joint can be the same as that shown in FIG. 3, so that the upper ends of the columns 46, carrying only the upper ring 44, can be raised and lowered with respect to the lower ends and the lower ring 44. Another hydraulic line 76 extends from the pump 52 to a cylinder 77 which can be stationarily mounted on the cockpit 1t and which has a rod 78 engaged with the upper end of the column 46. Thus, the upper ends of all columns 46 can be urged downwardly by presure in the line 76 and cylinder 77. A three-way hydraulic control 79 is provided on the pump 52 to permit separate pressure control of the three lines 53, 75, and 76 as desired for resultant action of the columns 46 and thus the two rings 44.

Accordingly, there is provided a flying machine which can fly vertically and horizontally under the power of the rotors alone. This is possible since the vanes of the rotors can be all pitched in one direction by the vane control of the hydraulic line 53 and the line 76, both acting on the rings 44 to displace them uniformly vertically without tilting. This produces vertical flight. Horizontal flight is possible by the tilting action of the rings 44 as induced by the vane control means of the stick 59 and the quadrant 62 acting differently on the columns 46, as described.

Further, the two rotors provide for rotational balance in the machine, and the separate vane pitching means of the line 75 can be employed to adjust balance as needed under flight conditions and to even steer the machine left and right depending upon rotor speed, wind resistance and separate vane pitching which creates different rotational torques on the machine.

While a specific embodiment of this invention has been shown and described, it will be understood that certain changes in the embodiment could be made and the invention therefore should be limited only by the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A flying machine for both horizontal and vertical flight, comprising a support member, a prime mover on said support member, a rotor rotatably mounted on said support member and being annular in shape, drive means engaged between said prime mover and said rotor for rotating the latter under the power of said prime mover, air vanes included in said rotor and being movably mounted and extended thereon for forming a continuously closed annular planing surface in one position of vane movement and forming pitched propeller vanes in another position of vane movement, a control ring extending around the interior of said rotor and being tiltably mounted and axially displaceable on said support member, a crank attached between each of said vanes and said control ring for controlling the pitch of said vanes, and control means mounted on said support member and engaged with said control ring for inducing tilting movement of said control ring and axial displacement thereof for controlling the pitch of said vanes.

2. A flying machine for both vertical and horizontal flight, comprising a body, a prime mover mounted on said body, a rotor rotatably mounted on said body and being annular in shape, drive means engaged between said prime mover and said rotor for rotating the latter under the power of said prime mover, air vanes included in said rotor and being movably mounted and extended thereon for forming a continuously closed annular planing surface in one position of vane movement and forming pitched propeller vanes in another position of vane movement, a control ring included in said rotor and being both tiltable and axially displaceable with respect to said body, a control rod attached between each of said vanes and said control ring for controlling the pitch of said vanes, first control means connected to said control ring for tilting the latter with respect to said body to induce two different pitches to said vanes at opposite sides of said body, and second control means connected to said control ring for uniformly vertically displacing the latter with respect to said body to move said vanes in the direction of the same pitch on opposite sides of said body.

3. A flying machine comprising a support member, a prime mover mounted on said support member, two rotors rotatably mounted on said support member and being annular in shape and disposed radially beyond said support member and extending to the outer radial limit of said machine, drive means engaged between said prime mover and said rotors for rotating the latter under the power of said prime mover, pitchable air vanes included in said rotors and being movably mounted and extended thereon for forming a continuously closed annular planing surface in one position of vane movement and forming pitched propeller v-anes in another position of vane movement, cranks attached to said pitchable air vanes for pitching the latter, vane control means mounted on said support member and engaged with said cranks and including three portions for respectively inducing the same pitched movement of all of said air vanes on said rotors and for pitching said air vanes on one of said rotors with respect to said air vanes on the other of said rotors and for pitching said vanes in opposite directions on opposite sides of said support member.

4. A flying machine comprising a support member, a prime mover mounted on said support member, two rotors rotatably mounted on said support member and being annular in shape and disposed radially beyond said support member and extending to the outer radial limit of said machine, drive means engaged between said prime mover and said rotors for rotating the latter under the power of said prime mover, pitchable air vanes included in said rotors and being movably mounted and extended thereon for forming a continuously closed annular planing surface in one position of vane movement and forming pitched propeller vanes in another position of vane movement, first vane control means mounted on said support member and engaged with said rotors for inducing the same pitched movement of all of said pitchable air vanes on said rotors, second vane control means mounted on said support member and engaged with said rotors for pitching all of said pitchable air vanes on one of said rotors with respect to all of said pitchable air vanes on the other of said rotors, and third vane control means mounted on said support member and engaged with at least one of said rotors for pitching all of said pitchable air vanes thereof in opposite directions on opposite sides of said support member.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,351,821 Wilkinson Sept. 7, 1920 1,468,772 Bloomquist Sept. 25, 1923 1,775,284 La Bille Sept. 9, 1930 2,256,635 Young Sept. 23, 1941 2,711,295 Peterson June 21, 1955 2,717,131 Barrett Sept. 6, 1955 2,740,595 Bakewell Apr. 3, 1956 

